BASSENDEAN councillor John Gangell has hand-pulled weeds from a median strip on Guildford Road, after his fellow councillors voted against his motion for the Town to take urgent action on the weeds.
Median strips on Guildford Road are under Main Roads WA’s (MRWA) control and maintenance but Main Roads has stopped spraying glyphosate on the weeds because of the Town of Bassendean’s glyphosate ban.
In 2017, the Town notified MRWA about its ban on glyphosate spraying on hard surfaces, with the authority deciding to continue its use.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWAs a result, Cr Gangell proposed a motion for the Town to prepare a report on options and costs for the Town to take urgent action on the weed infestation on median strips on Guildford Road in Main Roads’ stead.
That motion was lost at last month’s council meeting.
Cr Gangell, Mayor Renee McLennan and Deputy Mayor Kath Hamilton have been engaged in a debate with residents on a public Facebook group since the decision.
Cr Gangell said on his Facebook post that he wanted the Town to clean up the weeds and the Town was now arranging to do the work without the cost being known to the council.
“As previously proven, I’m personally happy to hand-weed the islands, if that’s what’s required,” he said in a Facebook comment.
“I want our Town looking tidy, loved and presentable.”
The Town has written a letter to Transport Minister Rita Saffioti for action.
Town officers also gained approval from Main Roads to treat the weeds using non-chemical methods and will seek reimbursement for traffic management and weed removal costs.
They have requested quotes from a steam weeding contractor to treat Guildford Road from Old Perth Road to the traffic bridge and contractor that uses a steamer attached to a mobile vehicle with an articulated arm.
Cr McLennan said the State Government was responsible for managing weeds on main roads.
“The Town again formally requests that Main Roads WA treat the weeds on hard surfaces using alternative methods or contribute to the cost for the Town to treat the weeds,” she said.
A Main Roads spokesperson said due to objections from the Town in 2017, Main Roads discontinued weed treatment altogether on the hard surfaces in this area since 2017.
“Main Roads was approached by the Town in 2019 seeking approval for the Town’s contractor to conduct weed treatment on these hard surfaces within its boundaries on the Main Roads network,” the spokesperson said.
“Main Roads did not object to this proposal.
“The Town is assessing the use of Steamer treatment to undertake weed control works.
“The option for using the Steamer treatment has been investigated by Main Roads, but being cost and time prohibitive, it has shown to be an option suitable for only small localised areas.”